In an effort to prevent premature pullouts, nasoenteric tubes are often fixed in place using a wide variety of bridling systems. Prior systems were difficult to place in a patient and presented discomfort, such as the system taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,448 to Meer, where both ends of a bridle are inserted into separate nostrils until the ends are present in the hypopharynx. Each end of the bridle is then extracted through the mouth of the patient using forceps and tied together to form the bridle.
An improvement to this technique is taught by the bridling system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,715 to Kim, which uses a flexible tube like member as the bridle for securing a nasal tube. The flexible member has a magnetic end that is inserted into a first nare of the patient's nose and a magnetic probe that is inserted into a second nare of the patient's nose. Both the flexible member and magnetic probe are inserted just beyond the posterior border of the nasal septum. The magnetic probe retrieves the flexible member, which loops the flexible member around the nasal septum. Once the magnetic end of the flexible member is pulled from the second nare and trimmed away, the flexible member remains in the patient and serves as the bridle for retaining a nasal tube, for example.
Another type of bridle system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,005 to Ballantyne. Ballantyne utilizes two magnetic insertion tools to place a bridle around the posterior nasal septum of the patient. A first insertion tool with the bridle attached is inserted into the first nostril and a second insertion tool is inserted into the second nostril of the patient until they magnetically couple behind the posterior nasal septum. Once coupled, the first insertion tool is removed from the first nostril leaving the bridle coupled to the second insertion tool. The second insertion tool is then removed from the second nostril, which pulls the bridle from the first nostril around the posterior nasal septum and out the second nostril.
In applicant's prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 7,534,228 to Williams, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, applicant discloses a device that uses a flexible member with a magnet attached to one end of the flexible member and an umbilical tape attached to the flexible member. The flexible member is inserted into a first nare using an insertion tool, which makes the flexible member stiff enough to be inserted into the nasal cavity. A retrieving tool having a magnetic end is inserted into a second nare and couples with the magnet of the flexible member. Once the retrieving tool and the flexible member are coupled magnetically behind the posterior nasal septum of the patient, the retrieving tool is pulled out of the second nare and the flexible member follows around the vomer bone and out the second nare, pulling the umbilical tape with it. The flexible member is pulled entirely out of the second nare, leaving the umbilical tape in position behind the vomer bone.